Thursday, April 7, 2016

Pucked by Helena Hunting New Adult Book Review

BLURB

With a famous NHL player for a step-brother, Violet Hall is well acquainted with the playboy reputation many hockey stars come with. She’s smart enough to steer clear of those hot, well-built boys with unparalleled stamina. That is until she meets the legendary team captain—Alex Waters.

Violet isn’t interested in his pretty, beat-up face, or his rock-hard six-pack abs. But when Alex inadvertently obliterates Violet’s previous misapprehension regarding the inferior intellect of hockey players, he becomes more than just a hot body with a face to match.

In what can only be considered a complete lapse in judgment, Violet finds out just how good Alex is with the hockey stick in his pants. But what starts out as a one-night stand, quickly turns into something more. Post-night of orgasmic magic, Alex starts to call, and text, and e-mail and send extravagant—and quirky—gifts, making him difficult to ignore, and even more difficult not to like.

The problem is, the media portrays Alex as a total player, and Violet doesn’t want to be part of the game.

REVIEW

THREE-ISH OF OUT FIVE STARS

I don't want to start this review off by whining and raging about how much I didn't like it or it got on my nerves--but I am here to be honest about it. So, let's get to it. Shall we?

Here's the thing I like New Adult despite the copious amount of hate it gets for being precisely what it tends to be--unoriginal, and kind of annoying. I still like it. There are some gems in this genre, Alice Clayton, Cora Carmack, and Amy Harmon to name a few. There are countless others but yet this genre continues to get a bad rap and I get it I do--namely this book.

I am not dubbing this book the worst of New Adult but it strayed towards being the kind of New Adult I do not like.

THE MAIN CHARACTERS

Alex--Alex is in the NHL. He's the captain of the team. He's in the gossip mags on a regular basis for a being a well-known man whore, with women draped around him like accessories. That, of course, is not necessarily how he really is. It's a sort of game throughout the novel--to attempt to keep the reader guessing on whether or not he really is a womanizer. Alex was too into Violet to be convincing on that front but I digress.

Violet: Oh, Violet. She is the young sister, to a hockey playing stepbrother--who just so happens to be on the same team as Alex. Their relationship, Alex and the stepbrother wasn't tumultuous but they weren't always on friendly terms. Especially when upon first meeting Alex, Violet tongue wrestles with him--leaving the stepbrother quite unhappy.

Here's the thing Violet is supposed to funny--in all her quirky weirdness. But I honestly felt like she came off at times rude and not at all funny. I mean I chuckled her and there but I wouldn't be comparing this to an Alice Clayton level of humor or anything.

My main issues with her was her repetitive use of the word "monster cock," yes, I said "monster cock--" that word has become the bane of my existence. The usage of it either in full or shortened was in no short supply--and I am not a fan of characters constantly using the same phrase over and over again. Even something this small--it causes phrases to lose their worth and their "bang," so to speak. I mean imagine if John Green made Augustus and Hazel, say "Okay? Okay," repeatedly--would definitely not be the same, ya know?

And Violet is a victim of the dreaded miscommunication. She jumps to conclusions like it's her day job. I mean some of it was warranted, but for the most part I felt like it could have been avoided.

I mean as far as characters are concerned they were pretty okay, they (Violet) spent quite some time on the other side of my nerves but they were far from the worst.

I should mention the best friend, who is pretty typical. The mom who has no filter like the daughter, and the rich stepfather who's character is pretty non-existent--outside of his financial support.

Moving right along.

THE ROMANCE

There's a crap load of sex in this novel but as far as any sizzle, any spark I found there to be none. There was a lot of convenience, and a lot of action but no real anything else. It all happens pretty fast, but it somehow manages to not feel like insta-love, don't ask me how. These two are just together, and in a way it makes sense, kind of...I'm making sense, right?!

THE STORY ITSELF

I mean after having read The Deal, this story doesn't come off as that original. I mean the whole sports guy thing hasn't been overdone yet but I see it coming. This story is not mind blowing but I only rolled my eyes a few times, maybe less than a handful so that's saying something. I'm sure there are a score of people that will love this book and find it down right laughable but uh, I just didn't. I didn't hate this but I don't think I'm going to bother with the other books because the characters seemed superficial and were more irritating than they were funny.

I'm not going to say not to read this one because well, I wasn't in love with The Deal and so many people were, but if The Deal rocks your boat, Pucked is certainly for you.

I haaaated this book! SO MUCH! And for exactly the reasons you've highlighted. The monster cock and the heroine jumping too conclusions especially annoyed the crap out of me. It just felt really over the top with the humor too. I hope you find an awesome NA book soon!

Okay, the total overuse of "monster cock" gave me flashbacks to the nauseatingly overused "inner goddess" in Fifty Shades. What is it with writers who stumble upon a catch phrase and then runs it into the ground? It quits being catchy and starts being annoying PDQ. Ugh.

Oh man, I already had problems this author in other books I tried to read by her and it sounds like this one does not improve the situation! Totally agree that this sounds like the type of NA to probably skip

It seems like this book isn't very unique - it's just another NA. But the thing is, NA is what it is and sometimes even though you know the formula to a book has been done time and time again, you can still enjoy reading it. And enjoyment is enough to keep people reading.

I am sooo over these type of stories! The Deal was really fun and the characters were actually LIKEABLE. It wasn't a ton of sex scenes, and when there was it was pretty steamy. First of all, the MC of this book would annoy me to all hell. The rudeness, trying to be overly funny, the whole " monster cock " thing. Like yeah no. & don't get me started on the guy. The whole jock-womanizer thing is sooooo played out. Move on to something else for heavens sake New adult authors!

Meh. I've been on the hunt for more New Adult books to read but I haven't found anything that has really caught my interest. Like you mentioned, I've been struggling to find anything that stands out. I love New Adult but I'm tired of reading the same story over and over again. And I'm so tired of the same characters. Like, jeez, not every single female character has to be "quirky and weird" and clumsy and ugh, it just drives me nuts. And yes, lack of communication is such a huge issue in New Adult. It drives me crazy. In my actual life, I find communication to be key and they fact that it's always lacking in New Adult drives me up a wall. Like, you can have conflict that isn't just one of the main characters jumping to conclusions and refusing to communicate with their SO. You made a lot of great points in this review. Probably gonna stay away from this one, thanks for the honesty!